Brad Pitt Talks Love & Marriage

In a very candid new interview, Hollywood heartthrob - and dad-of-six - Brad Pitt talks to Parade magazine about everything from same sex marriage to his personal definition of true love. Here's a look at what makes the 45-year-old actor tick - and what makes him "mental."

On what he wants for his kids: "Would it bother me if a child of mine turns out to be gay? No, not one bit. Listen, I want my kids to live the lives they want to live. I want them to be fulfilled. I hope I teach my kids to be who they really are."

On what makes him "mental:" "Man, I resent people telling others how to live! It drives me mental! Just the other night, I heard this TV reverend say that Angie and I were setting a bad example because we were living out of wedlock, and people should not be duped by us! It made me laugh. What damn right does anyone have to tell someone else how to live if they're not hurting anyone? How many times do you think real love comes to someone in a lifetime? If you're lucky, maybe two or three."

On the meaning of real love: "Do you know how you tell real love? It's when someone else's interest trumps your own. I like to put it that way: trumps your own. Love of somebody else - of family, of your kids - becomes the most important, most worthwhile thing in your life. It's what you foster and protect. You have to recognize real love when it's there and know that in going after it there is always risk. To live with love, you have to chance losing it. That's also true when you decide to have kids. It's the risk you take for love."

On why he hasn't married Angelina Jolie: "I have love in my life, a soul mate - absolutely. When someone asked me why Angie and I don't get married, I replied, 'Maybe we'll get married when it's legal for everyone else.' I stand by that, although I took a lot of flak for saying it - hate mail from religious groups. I believe everyone should have the same rights. They say gay marriage ruins families and hurts kids. Well, I've had the privilege of seeing my gay friends being parents and watching their kids grow up in a loving environment."

On life as a family man: "My life has been about big changes. It's always been that way. When I go down a path, I take it to the end. Then I take another one. I took the path of not having kids - now it's time for family. Children are a dominant value in my life now, and they weren't before. They were always something I thought I'd get around to having when the time was right. It wasn't what I was really seeking. In a way, I think I had to go and exhaust me before I could be good at being a parent. This family is full of life! There are laughs, aggravations, irritations, but at the end of the day, it's fun. When life is really good, it's messy."

On his traveling brood: "I travel a lot. I don't feel restless, I just like to travel. I like to see it all. We're trying to spend more time in the South of France, because our kids have a more normal life there. I don't believe there is any way around our kids being international. So we have projects in each of their respective countries, and we put a big emphasis on their learning their native languages."

On building his dream home: "This was my first architectural experience where I tried doing something myself. It is something I wanted to do for decades. This is like play to me. It's the only thing that can take me away from any problems I may have. After a few years of work, it came out so nice. Now I've got so many damn kids, it's the only place we could all fit in. We're double-bunking rooms as it is."

On the hidden grotto behind the waterfall at their pool: "[It's] a great place for sex."